


Exhausted

by aimeejessica



Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Prompt Fic, Shes exhausted, Tumblr Prompt, i want a bath like that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:53:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26870956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aimeejessica/pseuds/aimeejessica
Summary: Based off a prompt I received From Levinson-Mannion on tumblr. "Smart and sexy with hair like an angel."Here's hoping I deliver :P
Relationships: Bernadette | Shelagh Turner & Patrick Turner, Bernadette | Shelagh Turner/Patrick Turner
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	Exhausted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [levinson_mannion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/levinson_mannion/gifts).



> @Levinson-mannion I'm pretty we may as well be a collab at this point 😅 you keep supplying me with the ideas.

A rough shift was wording her experience lightly. As the head nurse at the maternity home, Shelagh was often called to assist in decision making when it came to her pregnant patients. On top of the two births she had attended that morning, she had also been called upon to assist in a breech birth, her skill in performing _external cephalic version’s_ being necessary to help deliver the baby without sending the expectant mother to Saint Cuthbert’s for a caesarean section.

She hadn’t had to perform that procedure in years, and she had a quick lapse in confidence. However, the woman labouring away washed away all doubt in her abilities; her cries of pain striking a nerve in the nurse. On successful manipulation of the baby tucked inside the woman, the birth had gone smoothly. That was, until her husband had turned up; he demanded entrance to see his wife and child, becoming aggressive and verbally abusive to the head nurse when he was denied entry.

The woman and her newborn needed to rest after the physically draining birth, but her husband wouldn’t have it. Fortunately for Shelagh and her staff, they had a young, male orderly on ward, ready to step in at a moment’s notice. Shelagh had been reluctant to leave the maternity home, fearing for mother and baby; and so physical exhaustion was suddenly paired with mental exhaustion as she fretted over scenarios in her mind.

On coming home, she had asked poor Timothy to look after his siblings; she was drained, it was early evening and she knew she still needed to perform the duties of housewife. Changing out of her uniform was her first priority, slipping into a dress, and strapping herself into an apron that would be suitable for the minuscule amount of housework she was about to undertake, however she left her hair twisted back in its usual chignon; she could deal to the straining pain in her scalp from the tight hair style later, when she would allow herself to fully relax.

Patrick had returned home minutes before Shelagh was ready to serve dinner. He had been in and out of the maternity home that day, being required to see district patients which were slowly declining in number. He hadn’t been at the home when the aggressive father had come in, and she was thankful for that. He would have become instantly protective of her and that was an added stress that she knew she wouldn’t need.

“Good evening, my love,” he greeted as he dropped his bag at the front door, shrugging the heavy grey overcoat off and hanging it in the foyer. Approaching her in the kitchen from behind, he placed his hands on her waist, pulling her back into him and placing a kiss to her temple. He felt the tenseness in her muscles, “Bad day?”

She hummed in agreement, not yet ready to talk to her husband about her day. She withdrew herself from his grasp to add the finishing touches to the meal, suggesting he should get the children ready for dinner.

Patrick had tried to make conversation with her over the course of the meal, but she kept her answers short. Instead, he had given up, instead turning his attention to their oldest child, enquiring about how his biology class had been that day. Shelagh was relieved with the change of conversation, enjoying the chat surrounding her, but not wishing to partake.

Patrick knew something was of, so upon rolling up his sleeves, had offered to clean up after dinner, employing the help of Timothy to dry the dishes as he cleaned them. He had also made the suggestion that she should run herself a bath, but she had insisted that the children’s baths came first.

Patrick, not wanting to start a row between them, submitted, allowing his wife to draw a bath for Angela first while the men completed the last of the housework. Timothy had told his mother he wanted to work on his chemistry homework and would bathe in the morning. His mother had nodded in agreement but had been firm in telling him that lights were to be out no later than nine o’clock.

Still dressed in her apron, she had picked up their youngest child and perched her on her hip, taking her upstairs and in the direction of the bathroom. The little girl laughed excitedly as she recognised the familiar path to her favourite time of evening.

“Mama, bath time!” Angela yelled out, her pronunciation of her ‘th’ sounding more like an ‘f’.

“That’s right, baby girl,” her mother responded, using her free hand to tap her daughter’s nose with her index finger.

Shelagh envied the happiness her daughter displayed; she was young enough to not understand the struggles of the real world, and something as simple as bath time brought her immense joy. So upon running a bath for her daughter, she realised adding the little rubber duck was not the greatest idea, as the little girl splashed around enthusiastically, in turn, getting her mother completely soaked.

With the bath coming to an end, she snuggled her daughter, wrapped in a fluffy towel, before changing her and settling her in her bed.

“Good night, my angel,” she whispered, placing a loving kiss upon the small girl’s soft forehead. She admired the beauty of the child, her face showing no sign of the worry lines that she encountered on most adults. “I love you,”

“Night, mama,” came the sleepy reply as the little girl’s eyes closed, succumbing to the heaviness that encumbered them.

Departing Angela’s bedroom, she stood in the hallway, her back pressed against the wall as she took a moment to collect herself. Scrubbing a hand over her face, the exhaustion set in, in full force and she let out a deep sigh in an attempt to expel some weariness.

“I’ll draw you a bath, my love,” his voice sounded from a few feet down the hall. She jumped slightly, being so lost in thought that she hadn’t realised her husband now approached. Taking her hands in his as he came face to face with her, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You look like you need it.”

She smiled weakly as his lips left her skin. “Thank you,” her voice was barely above a whisper.

He let go of one of her hands, holding the other tight as he gently began to pull her back to the bathroom. She allowed herself to be led, following his path silently until they arrived at their destination.

Putting the lid of the toilet down, he motioned for her at take a seat as he then turned his direction to the bath; plugging the drain and turning the faucets on. The sound of the water rushing into the iron tub filled the room; echoing loudly off the walls and creating a constant static.

“I’m just popping out to fetch a towel,” he told her, using his hands expressively. “Don’t you move an inch.”

She nodded her reply, thinking that the idea of moving seemed exhausting. She passed the time watching the water level rise, her eyes following the steam that danced just off the surface.

Patrick returned, carrying a few tea-light candles in one hand while a fluffy, light blue towel and flannel was draped across the opposite arm. Handing Shelagh the towel after toeing the door shut, he set the candles around the room, whipping out his lighter and holding the flame to the wicks.

With the tub full, he turned the faucets off, testing the temperature quickly with his elbow; satisfied, he turned to his wife to help her up. With another kiss to the forehead he took his time to undress his wife. He gently wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands finding purchase at the tie of her apron; he made swift work of the knot and allowed the garment to come loose.

He pulled the item away, next bringing his hands rest of the buttons at her chest. She didn’t oppose his movement, allowing him to gradually unbutton her dress so that he could push it off her shoulders and let it pool around her feet. Using his larger hands on the soft flesh of her shoulders, her turned her away from him to access the clip on her brassier; he removed the item by pushing firmly against her back muscles until his fingers hooked under the shoulder straps and he could push it off.

She assisted the removal of the item, as he turned her back to him once more. Kneeling in front of her, she naturally put her hands atop his shoulders to steady herself as he slid her underwear down, having to step out one foot at a time. She moved her hands to his hair, running her fingers through the dark threads as silent thanks.

Shelagh made her way to the tub and sliding herself in. The moan she elicited as she sank beneath the warmth had sounded blissful, as if every worry in her body had suddenly dissipated. Patrick, still on his knees, shuffled to the gap behind the tub and extended his arms to his wife’s shoulders. He took firm grasp and began to manipulate the muscle under his thumbs.

He worked up her neck, her moans sounding erotic. He pushed that thought to the side; Shelagh needed comfort and support, not desire. Running his thumbs down her spine until his hands were below the water line and nestled on her back, he took time to gently knead her aches.

After his relaxing ministrations, Shelagh began to reach up, causing her husband’s hands to retreat to her sides. She pulled the pin in her hair, allowing it to fall loosely in a soft curl. Patrick always loved when she took her hair down, relishing in the beautiful colouration and scent that he had come to know as hers.

“Hand me the flannel?” she asked quietly. He obliged; however, he remained holding the fabric as he reached for the soap and began lathering.

He bathed her gently, allowing her to fully relax and open up to him about her trying day. He had become angry about the abusive husband but had also worried that by him not being at the surgery, he had allowed this verbal attack to happen.

“I’m so sorry,” he admitted.

She stilled his hand as he rubbed the soapy fabric across her shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“It happened on my watch.” He sighed.

“Darling, he only had himself to blame for the behaviour he exhibited. That’s no more your fault than it is mine,”

Leaning forward over the tub, he kissed the back of her head. “Let’s get you to bed,” he suggested.

Standing, he moved to her side, assisting her out of the bath before gathering the towel and enveloping her in its soft warmth. Rubbing her down, he let her depart and prepare herself for bed while he squared away the bathroom.

Satisfied with this work, he followed her steps down the hall and to their bedroom. She had ended up in bed, wearing her favourite pyjama shirt of hers; the same one she had worn the first time she had slept under the same roof as he.

She wasn’t quite asleep when he finally joined her in bed, her eyes heavy lidded and a small smile gracing her slightly parted lips. He couldn’t help but lean over her and steal a tender kiss from her before allowing her to roll and curve into the shape of his body. Laying with her, he let his arm curl around her waist as she began to succumb to her exhaustion.

“I love you,” The slightest whisper escaped her just before she finally allowed herself to fall asleep.

Holding her tighter, he let out his own whispered reply. “I love you too.”

**-end**

**Author's Note:**

> What did you guys think?  
> I had fun writing this, and then I got distracted and then I came back and I'm a little bit not sober. But I hope I did this justice anyway lmao.  
> Leave me a comment <3  
> Bless you all and have a fantastic evening/moring/day <3


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